What Happens to Abraham Setrakian in The Strain: Does He Become a Master Vampire?

The journey of the enigmatic Abraham Setrakian, played by Richard Kiel, has captivated audiences throughout the series. Central to the plot, Setrakian was a pivotal character whose fate raises some intriguing questions, one of which is whether he ultimately becomes the Master Vampire. In the series' climax, his story takes a dramatic turn, leaving viewers to piece together what really happened. Let's delve into the events that led to Setrakian's eventual demise and unravel the mystery of the Master Vampire.

Abraham Setrakian: A Lifelong War

For over seven decades, Setrakian has been fighting a never-ending battle against the Strigoi, a line of vampire-like creatures that were introduced in the series. His nemesis, Thomas Eichorst, was a fellow SS officer who had been hunting Setrakian since the end of World War II. Their feud reached its zenith in the series finale, where their long-standing hatred came to a boiling point.

The Final Confrontation

With Thomas Eichorst as his adversary, Setrakian's final moments were filled with both anticipation and the weight of his impending fate. Thomas, realizing his time was running out as his skin burned and he struggled to breathe, delivered the fatal blow to Setrakian. However, in a lifelike final act, Setrakian unexpectedly revealed that his blood was laced with silver, a substance lethal to the Strigoi. At this moment, he drew his cane sword and severed his own head, ensuring that he would not become the very creature he had sought to defeat.

Surviving the Bite, Facing the Worms

Despite his heroic act, Setrakian's victory was hollow. He still bore the marks of Thomas's bite, and the parasitic worms that infected the Strigoi were relentlessly eating away at him from within. He knew that his time was limited and that, without immediate action, he would inevitably succumb to the transformation. In a desperate bid to prevent this, Setrakian entrusted the Occido Lumen to Vasiliy, a Russian expert on the supernatural.

The Occido Lumen: Medieval Wisdom Against the Strigoi

The Occido Lumen, a medieval book made of silver and inscribed with instructions on how to kill Strigoi, played a crucial role in this dire situation. Setrakian instructed Vasiliy to use the book as a guide, emphasizing the importance of cutting off his head to prevent the terrible fate of becoming a Strigoi. After carefully following the directions, Vasiliy executed Setrakian, thus ensuring that the ancient wisdom would protect humanity from his potential transformation.

To summarize, Abraham Setrakian did not become the Master Vampire as one might assume from his sustained conflict with Thomas Eichorst. Instead, he chose to take charge of his own destiny, ensuring that he would not fall prey to the very creature he had dedicated his life to defeating. This acts as a testament to his determination and his unwavering will to continue his fight, even in the face of death.